After
by Potatah
Summary: Many years had passed.. (Oc, not that significant. First fanfiction. Contains spoilers)


The elderly woman gingerly cupped her hand on her son's cheek, wiping away the tears that cascaded down.

"Please, mom. I'm not ready for you to leave yet." She smiled warmly.

"My time to come is something I cannot control. I regret leaving so soon, before I get to see my grandchildren."

"Then stay with me, for just a few more days. Please." She chuckled a bit before letting out a cough.

"You remind me of a brother I once had." She placed her arm to rest, with her son by her side, holding her frail hand.

 _ **"Farewell, my dear -..."**_

Her hearing failed as she completed her sentence, her face contorting to a peaceful smile. The last thing she saw before slipping away into the welcoming embrace of death was the face, so similar to her brother's, tearing up.

* * *

She slowly woke from her slumber to find herself lying on the ground, her head rested on a tree root. Looking around at her surroundings, she vaguely remembered this strange place. Upon hearing footsteps, she focused her gaze in the direction the sound originated. "... Deemo?" She sounded unsure of herself as she slowly ascended from her position. Peering out of a doorway was a round head, with two white dots for eyes, no mouth, and pitch black skin. This was the first time since decades ago that she saw him again.

Deemo stood in the doorway, and so she ran up to embrace him, tears flowing from her eyes, occasionally hiccuping. Deemo returned the embrace, kneeling down on the floor as she crumpled to her knees. She had noticed that she was no longer elderly, and was in her peak year. After she was done sobbing, Deemo gave out a hand, (which she kindly accepted) and helped her back up. She noticed that she was now at shoulder height with the mystic creature. Deemo then walked over to another doorway and motioned her to follow.

She then saw a painting, ressembling the one she had seen in that castle several years ago, in which Deemo climbed into, so follow she did. She gazed around her, taking in the large room covered in vines. In the center of the room lied a piano, where Deemo was organizing some music scores, and in front of the piano was a large doorway. She sat down to join Deemo, who motioned to her to play a duet of the song he had set up for them.

 _Can't remove vivid memories of you; Faded Sakura._

 _Withered petals dancing above in the distant sky but know their way to home_

 _In the old days we strode along the riverside._

 _We gazed at the snow in the glistening river_

 _Full blown Sakura patching up the whole sky._

 _We sat together without knowing the change in things underneath,_

 _and would it be meaningful to talk about the future_

 _Can't remove vivid memories of you; Faded Sakura._

 _Withered petals dancing above in the distant sky but know their way home_

 _Then in this spring, my lonely shadow paved across the old streets_

 _Cool winds cutting through the mountain gap_

 _The wound lives on, not healing over Under the warm sun, I am embracing with the breeze_

 _Can't remove vivid memories of you; Faded Sakura._

 _Withered petals dancing above in the distant sky but know their way to home_

After playing the song perfectly, getting an "all charming" on the notes, the door before them opened. A bright light came out of it, and Deemo offered his hand to her as he stood up. As they approached the castle's exit, Deemo's form dissipated and took the form which looked similar to her own son. Alice glanced up at him, her brother. She was at shoulder height, as she was always little. She began tearing up.

"H.. Hans?" He peered down at her and brought her closer to his side, embracing her before getting up. He guided her towards the castle's exit, to the outside world once more, into the light that blinded them.

 _ **"Welcome back, Alice."**_

* * *

 _The song played is Sakura iro no Yume_

 _So, I always wondered what the piano and the door in the basement does._

 _There must be more to it other than just playing Suspenseful Third day_

 _Also, this wasn't in the story, but I always wondered... When you first play the game, there is a tree stump underneath the piano. Who cut it down?_


End file.
